This is my first time judging the Cybils Picture Book and Board Book First Round Long List, but my fourth time as a judge in the Graphic Novel and Easy Reader/Early Chapter Book categories. If you don’t know about the Cybils, it’s a children’s and young adult book award by book bloggers. The Cybils Awards…

Did you know that picture book authors and illustrators do not communicate until the project is completed? I think it’s to give the illustrator some creative space to bring the words to life. No one likes to be micromanaged by someone else’s vision. My debut picture book, SUMO JOE, with illustrator Nat Iwata is not…

I’m thrilled to have author and illustrator Jen Betton here today. We met at a children’s book writing class a few years back. It was a community education class at my local high school but was special. Illustrator Jannie Ho was also in the class, working on writing picture books. It’s probably unusual, but after that…

Please welcome my guest author today, Mary Lyn Ray with her list of gratitude picture books. I always like to highlight thankfulness as we turn the corner towards November. We are giving away 3 copies of her book, The Thank You Book. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter. The Thank You…

Please welcome author Sandra Neil Wallace with her 10 True Kidlit Immigration Stories book list. She was my guest earlier for her book Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery and her book list on 10 Diverse Picture Books on Fine Artists. I’m thrilled to have her back! Her…

I have a post of Picture Book Biographies about African-American Pioneering Female Musicians so today’s post is its pair, which is to say that I’ve rounded up the best picture book biographies about musicians who are not African American. This list, though, is all male. I’d love to add female musicians to this list! What books…

Chameleons are fascinating. One old theory is that chameleons changed color to match their surroundings. That turns out not to be true according to the latest research! Their color change is actually a form of communication! Their mastery of camouflage is behavioral using movement! They also have a fascinating tongue that projects up to two body…

Author Patricia Newman and I are are collaborating today on a list of books of kid who desperately want to attend school, but it’s not a given where they live. We will start off with some background and a list that Patricia Newman created for the Today Parenting Team. Her article is “All Kids Go…

Please welcome author Chitra Soundar today with her list of 10 environmental picture books. We are also giving away 3 copies of her newest book, You’re Snug with Me. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter. You’re Snug With Me by Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Poonam Mistry At the start of winter,…